Marker display device

ABSTRACT

A one-piece clip device for displaying price tags or other markers relating to the sale of merchandise, where the marker is retained by spring tabs which are formed from the panels of the clip and which dig into the surface of the marker with sufficient force to secure the marker. The marker may be inserted with ease but may be pulled out only by exerting considerable effort.

United States Patent [1 1 Miller Mar. 19, 1974 1 MARKER DISPLAY DEVICE[76] Inventor: Russell S. Miller, 144 S. Rossmore Ave., Los Angeles,Calif. 90004 221 Filed: June22, 1971 21] App1.No.: 155,473

[52] 0.5. Cl 40/10 R [51] Int. Cl. G09f 3/18 [58] Field of Search 40/11,124.1, 16.2, 10

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 867,794 10/1907 Clark 40/11R 3.530.605 -9/1970 Gutterson 40/11 R Slavsky et a1. 40/16.2

Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant ExaminerR0bert F. CuttingAttorney, Agent, or Firm-:Evert A. Autrey [5 7] ABSTRACT A one-piececlip device for displaying price tags or other markers relating to thesale of merchandise, where the marker is retained by spring tabs whichare formed from the panels of the clip and which dig into the surface ofthe marker with sufficient force to secure the marker. The marker may beinserted with ease but may be pulled out only by exerting considerableeffort.

1 Claim, 8 Drawing Figures P IENngnm 1 9 1914 3797143 sum 1 or zINVENTOR. RUSSELL S. MILLER HIS ATTORNEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Itis conventional practice in self-service stores or others dealing in thesale of merchandise on shelves to indicate the price thereof withmarkers generally consis'ting of a card held to the shelf by some sortof clip device. The card marker may be positioned in a plane parallel tothe shelf to indicate price for example, or in a plane perpendicular tothe shelf to call the buyers attention to the goods.

It is desirable that the markers be mounted securely to preventaccidental or mischievious dislodgement. Previously known devicesaccomplish this through mechanical locking means, for example, apin-in-slot arrangement or gripping teeth which prevent the removal ofthe marker except by manually disengaging the locking means. In somecases destruction of the device may result from attempts to remove themarker. Many of the known devices are assembled from several parts sothat the removal function is facilitated. Destruction of the device whenchanging markers is costly to the seller. Devices made from severalparts to facilitate the removal of markers are more costly to producethan a one-piece device. Some devices heretofore have used card markersmade with special slots, holes, gills or buttons that were needed towork in conjunction with the device itself. Naturally such special-mademarkers are more costly than plain cardboard or plastic ones.

. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the objects of this invention is toprovide a simple spring-clip device whichwill securely hold price tagsor other card markers relating to the sale of merchandise on shelves,and where the device is not damaged when the marker is pulled out forreplacement.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a spring-clipdevice which will accept plain cardboard or plastic markers that need nospecial holes, slots, gills, or buttons in order to be securely held inthe device.

A further object is to provide a clip into which a marker can beinserted with ease but from'which the marker can be removed only byexerting considerable effort. I

Another object of this invention is'to provide a device for holdingprice tags or other markers wherethe marker is retained by novel springtabs which are-an integral part-of'a one-piece clipQwhich tabs areformed from the panels of the clip and dig'into the surface of themarker with sufficient force to secure the marker but yet allow themarker to be pulled outwithout damaging the-device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of themarker display device with a card marker in position and showing thedevice mounted in a conventional price-tag molding;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view showing the'integral spring tabs whichretain" the markers and the method of retention; i I l v FIG. 3 is arear-quarter perspective view of the device showing how the spring tabsare formed;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative version of the displaydevice;

FIG. '5 is a perspective view of a further modified form of the device;

FIG. 6 is'a side view of theclip shown in FIG. 5;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The device shown in FIGS. 1through 8 comprises a clip '10 formed in one piece, preferably fromlight, resilient sheet metal, and is depicted as mounted in aconventional channel molding 11 which is secured to the merchandiseshelf 14.

The clip shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 comprises one or more card directionchanging points 12 and one or more outer tabs 13 which are convenientlystamped from the material forming card engaging surface 15. Cardengaging surface 15 is secured through upper panel 16 and lower panel 17to mounting feet 18 which engage slots in channel molding 11. The cardengaging surface 15 and panels 16 and 17 are shown as being flat but maybe curved or rounded. A stiffening bead 20 may be incorporated intodesired surfaces such as card engaging surface 15 for added rigidity asshown in FIG. 3. The free end of outer tab 13 is an edge which, inconjunction with card engaging surface 15, defines a card receivingslot. The bight formed by the bending into position of outer tab 13functions as a card or marker limit stop. The aspect of card 19wheninserted into the clip is shown in FIG. 1.

In the operation of the device thus far described, the clip 10 ismounted in molding 11 by pressing on panels 16 and 17 to force the endsbearing mounting feet 18 toward each other. The free ends of mounting'feet 18 may then be inserted into slots in molding 11 and the pressurereleased. The spring force of the clip holds the device securely in themolding. An edge of marker or display card 29 is then inserted into theclip by placing it in the slot formed by card engaging surface 15 andthe freeend of outer tab 13. As the card edge is inserted farther, it,encounters direction changing point 12 which causes the card to curlforward This curling action is opposed by the natural resiliency of thecard which acts to urge the card against card engaging surface 15 andalso against the free end of direction changing point 12. The ingress ofthe card requires but little force because the card need undergo only agentle bend and the movement along the ramp shaped direction changingpoint also offers little resistance. As card movement continues, theedge bottoms in the bight formed by outer tab 13 which thus functions asa limit stop to define card attitude.

The removal or egress of the card from the clip is not a simple-reversalof the action of inserting the card. The tip of the direction changingpoint or biasing member permits easy card movement in one direction onlyso that a one-way passage is created. The design of the directionchanging point determines the relative difficulty of card removal sincea'stiff biasing member with a sharp point increases card removaldifficulty to the point'where it will result in the card being tornapart during its removal'from the clip. A clip may be formed withroundedor dulled tips which will reduce card removal force so that the card orthe clip is not damaged appreciably by the removal operation.

The unitary clip shown in FIG. 4 comprises direction changing points 12and a single large outer tab 21 formed from the lower panel and definingsharpened tips22. In operation, the card is inserted as previouslydescribed in connection with the clips shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. Thesharpened tips 22 serve as an additional obstacle to withdrawal of thecard over that provided by direction changing point 12. Alternatively,the free edge of large outer tab 21 can be smooth and straight. Also,the sharpened tips on the outer tab may be incorporated into thestructures shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 if desired.

The clip need not be made in one piece although it is preferable to doso for reasons of economy and simplicity. A display card is held sosecurely in the clip that it can safely be held from the top in additionto display by holding it at the bottom as shown in FIG. 1. The displaycard may be mounted in the clip before the clip is inserted into thechannel molding.

The clip shown in FIGS. 5 through 8 is generally similar to that of FIG.1, but differs in that the card engaging point is secured to and formedfrom tab 26. The outwardly directed free end 30 of tab 26 provides aconvenient means for applying pressure to release the clip holdingstructure. In order to have positive engagement of the display card bythe sharpened tip 32 of point 28, tip 32 extends through openings cut incard engaging surface as shown in FIG. 7. The openings may be replacedby dimples 34 as shown in FIG. 8. The dimples provide a recess for tipso that a display card however thin cannot fail to be contacted by acard engaging point 28 as the card is inserted. The dimple has anadvantage over the cut through opening in that there are no sharp edgesto cut into the card and cause it to hang up.

The operation of the clip shown in FIGS. 5 through 8 is similar to thatof the clip shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. The display card may be insertedeither before or after the clip is mounted in the supporting molding.

The card is inserted into the clip in the slot between card engagingsurface 15 and tab 26. The card passes readily downward by displacingthe free end of point 28 and bottoms in the bight formed by theconnection of tab 26 to card engaging surface 15. The biasing action ofpoint 28 in urging the card material into the opening or recess in cardengaging surface 15 ensures that the tip 32 will contact the card firmlyand will thus bring about the desired one way passage configuration. Theremoval of the card is considerably more difficult than the insertion.The clip shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 may conveniently have panel 16 identicalto panel 17 so that the panels bend equal amounts when the mounting feetare compressed for insertion into the molding.

It is to be understood that modifications may be made in the form,details, arrangement, and proportion of the parts of this inventionwithout departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A one-piece card clip for a price tag molding comprising:

a. a card engaging surface,

b. at least one tab bent to define in conjunction with said cardengaging surface a card receiving slot and a card limit stop,

c. at least one pointed integral card biasing member defining inconjunction with said card receiving slot a one-way passage, and

d. mounting means securing said card engaging surface to said price tagmolding whereby said card engaging surface is heldparallel to saidmolding and spaced therefrom.

1. A one-piece card clip for a price tag molding comprising: a. a cardengaging surface, b. at least one tab bent to define in conjunction withsaid card engaging surface a card receiving slot and a card limit stop,c. at least one pointed integral card biasing member defining inconjunction with said card receiving slot a one-way passage, and d.mounting means securing said card engaging surface to said price tagmolding whereby said card engaging surface is held parallel to saidmolding and spaced therefrom.